We are proud to announce the 2024-2025 cohort (year 7) of PWN-USA Policy Fellows! This program, now in its seventh year, will build the policy leadership bench for cis & trans women & trans & gender diverse folks directly impacted by the epidemic and historically underrepresented in the federal health policy advocacy arena. The program kicked off in May 2025, with an orientation webinar preluding a year-long curriculum where they will develop skills in policy analysis, research, coalition, and relationship building as emerging leaders in the field.
Yves Chu (he/they)
Yves has held leadership roles with the Castro LGBTQ Cultural District and as Transgender Caucus Co-Chair at the Harvey Milk LGBTQ Democratic Club. He also volunteers with San Francisco Rising, supporting grassroots racial and economic justice campaigns.
Professionally, Yves is a California REALTOR® (DRE: 02001040) and founder of Keep Coming Back Bar, a non-alcoholic cocktail pop-up creating sober, inclusive spaces. With a background in Economics from Harvard and Brandeis, Yves brings strategic insight, lived experience, and deep community commitment to his activism and organizing.
Brooke Davidoff (she/her)
She’s an active member on two HIV Caucus Committees: Policy Action, and Membership Engagement. With the American Academy of HIV Medicine she’s on a CAG, and has been published in there, HIV Specialist Magazine. She is an admin with Pillow Talk. Was inducted into SisterLove’s 20/20 Leading Women’s Society in fall 2024.
In Missouri she’s a Positive Women’s Network state co-chair. She has blogged for HIV.Net, and PWN. Her poetry has appeared in multiple HIV anthologies, she’s appeared in articles in TheBody, POZ, and Positively Aware. Employed as an HIV Peer Educator, and a seated member on the Ryan White Planning Council. She will be speaking on a panel at The Grace Project Conference at the end of May 2025.
DeOnyae-Dior Valentina (she/her)
Her leadership spans local and national stages—from her work as a Lived Experience Advisor with the Center for Reducing Racial and Ethnic Disparities to consulting roles with the Annie E. Casey Foundation, Center for States, and Foster Success. She’s served as Transgender Health Research Manager at Trans Solutions, led youth policy forums across Indiana, and currently sits on the Board of the International Pedagogy and Theatre of the Oppressed, where she unites art, education, and activism.
DeOnyae-Dior is a 2025 National Urban Leaders Fellow, a 2025–2026 PWN-USA Policy Fellow, and an alum of NMAC’s Next Gen Emerging Leaders Fellowship. She serves as the Legislative Debrief Writer for the 50501 – Indiana Chapter, making critical policy information accessible to her community. Her leadership has been honored with the Emerging Leader Award from the National Black Trans Advocacy Coalition, the PUSH Torch Award from the National Trans Visibility March, and recognition as a Youth Policy Advocate by the Annie E. Casey Foundation.
As a scholar, her academic work centers care-driven policy change and abolitionist frameworks. As an artist, she performs as Dior Da Don Dolly, blending lyrical activism with divine femininity and survival storytelling in her debut album Don Energy, Doll Mentality. Whether organizing, writing, or rapping, DeOnyae-Dior is building a future where Black, Brown, and trans people thrive—loudly, boldly, and without apology.
Denise Drayton (she/her)
Denise Drayton is a passionate HIV advocate, educator, and long-term survivor who has worked in the field of HIV/AIDS for over 30 years. She began her work at Exponents Inc. in New York City, where she helped develop the PWA Leadership Training Institute and served as Director of Education and Prevention for the ARRIVE Program. Denise has also worked at ACRIA/GMHC as a Peer Educator and at Senior Planet promoting digital literacy for older adults.
She currently serves as a Senior Program Associate at Ribbon – A Center of Excellence – supporting HIV and aging initiatives. Denise is a member of the NMAC 50+ Strong & Healthy Scholars, the Gilead Peer Advocate Network, and Co-Chairs the National HIV & Aging Advocacy Network Women of Color Rise Up Committee.
A person of faith, Denise is proud to represent older adults living with HIV and uses her voice to educate, empower, and uplift her community.
Xeena Ellison (she/her)
Xeena Ellison is a New Orleans native DJ, poet, actress, model, graphic designer and visual artist also known as GOUL8DE. She currently works as Director of Political Education & Cultural Enrichment at Southern Organizers Academy, a nonprofit org founded in 2017 which focuses on expansion of leadership capacities of Southern organizers, activists, students and community based orgs. We help individuals collectively create powerful social/structural changes by fusing political education, kinship based organizing, alternative health & indigenous wellness, spirituality, uplifting healing justice. Xeena studied Creative Writing at NOCCA and later attended the UNT where she studied Women & Gender Studies, Critical Race Theory, Creative Writing, 21st Century Civil Rights Movement & Aesthetic Philosophy. She is CDC’s Community PROMISE Training & CADA’s Peer Advocate graduate and a former Board member of Tulane NOLA Hype & Crescent Care Health & Wellness Clinic’s community advisory boards. She has also worked in food & housekeeping service for over 10 years.
Millicent Foster (she/her)
Millicent is a 64-year-old black woman thriving with HIV for 23 years. She is a mother of 3 and a grandmother of 4. Although family is important to her, her extended family is just as important. She strives to empower others on their rights to live without fear of judgement from others. She’s a strong advocate, a public speaker and dedicated to fighting for the rights of all women. She sits on the Board of Directors for Baton Rouge AIDS Society (BRASS), she’s co-chair of PWN-USA Louisiana Chapter, and a Steering Committee Member for the Louisiana Coalition for Criminalization and Health (LCCH). She is active in the community and a member of varies organizations and coalitions. Her passion is the lives of Black Women Living with HIV and the fight to end HIV criminalization. She is committed to helping all Black Women live long, healthy, dignified lives. She works hard on helping to end stigma and discrimination towards Black Women Living with HIV. She will not stop until there is a cure.
WE ARE ALL WE’VE GOT, NO SISTER LEFT BEHIND.
“NOLIMITS”
Marcia Gullatte (she/her)
Marcia Gullatte is a dynamic social worker, advocate, and public health leader with over 25 years of frontline experience in HIV/AIDS education, mental health services, and community empowerment.
She is the Co-Chair of the Alabama Chapter of the Positive Women’s Network-USA and serves on several national and local advisory councils, including AIDS United’s Southern Advocacy Council and the UAB 1917 Clinic’s Community Engagement Council.
A trailblazer in HIV advocacy, Marcia has co-founded organizations, led national forums, appeared on The Oprah Winfrey Show, and been featured in Newsweek and The New York Times. She brings deep compassion, lived experience, and strategic insight to every space she enters—lifting voices, breaking stigma, and championing the power of purpose.
Nakeisa Jackson (she/her)
Nakeisa Jackson, a native of Atlanta, GA, is a distinguished speaker renowned for guiding individuals in transforming their lives through self-love, self-efficacy, and faith. As a published author with three highly acclaimed works that have earned five-star reviews and appeared on the Amazon Best Sellers list, Nakeisa’s impact is profound. She holds a master’s degree in health administration and is a registered nurse.
Nakeisa is also the founder and owner of multiple businesses spanning diverse industries, from real estate to nonprofit organizations. Her entrepreneurial journey began with her personal story of being diagnosed with HIV during her first year of college. Inspired by her experience, she has authored books, penned blogs, and established the nonprofit organization Aniyah’s Space to support other women facing similar challenges.
Her work has been featured in various publications, podcasts, and on television. Nakeisa’s guiding principle is to pursue your goals with determination while ensuring you take care of yourself along the way.
L. Tang 唐雯 (she/her)
L. Tang 唐雯 (LOVE Queen Layla) is the founder of 4L Solutions, championing human rights, mental health and sexual freedom. She is a world renowned 22+ year International Educator, HIV+ Survivor-Leader, Pleasure Activator and FUN Facilitator on a mission to eradicate sexual stigma worldwide, turning her lived experiences, advocacy work and intersectional research into powerful catalysts for change. Be YOU. Be Free. Be Happy!
René Garrett Wright (they/them)
René Garrett Wright (They/Them) is a researcher, advocate, and a harm reductionist at Visual AIDS based in New York, NY. They hold bachelor’s degrees in Women’s Studies and Philosophy from Denison University. Their advocacy focuses on the social and housing justice and health equity of LGBTQIA+ and HIV-affected young people. Though now thriving as a person living with HIV since 2016, they leverage their experiences with the support of evidence-based research toward sustainable and innovative policy outcomes and towards the proliferation of multiple narratives of what living with HIV might entail. While their interests include the social conditions of urban STI transmission in the midwestern United States, across research and advocacy, they emphasize equitable access to PreP and PEP, that U=U, and access to stable housing is a determinant of health; in particular for marginalized communities disproportionately impacted by HIV, racial injustice, and housing discrimination.